When Two Are Better Than One

It snowed this week along the coast in south-east England.  Snow started one afternoon and didn’t stop for the next 24 hours.  That first morning Katie the dog and I stepped outside into a world of brilliant white.  There was a mighty hush as the thick blanket of snow muffled all noise.  I was excited to see that our footprints would be the first that day.  Katie hopped and I shuffled along where the snow was the deepest.  What fun!

As we went along, enjoying the pleasure of the moment, I took note of something else with a little sadness.  It was the daffodils.  I love daffodils with their vibrant, bright yellow.  The bulbs had only pushed through the ground two weeks ago, it’s green bodies growing taller with time.  The yellow heads had opened and now they couldn’t be seen.  As much as I was happy to have the snow, I was disappointed at what had happened to the daffodils.

The sun came out in the late afternoon.  As quickly as the snow had come, just as quickly did it melt away, leaving no trace that it had ever been there.  As Katie and I walked along I glanced over to where the daffodils had been.  What?  I had to look closer.  Amazing!  There were the daffodils all standing to attention, it’s yellow heads proudly pointing in spender to the sky.  I could hardly believe it, but wait, what was that over there?  A lone daffodil, wilted and bent over, it’s once lovely, yellow head now limp and sagging.

I deduced that the plants that had grown together were somehow able to survive the onslaught of cold but the plant that grew alone couldn’t make it.  I was reminded then of the verse found in Galations 6:2, “Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”  What is “the law of Christ?”  It’s letting the love of God in your life, touch someone else.

There are times in our lives when we are alone and we have no choice.  In those moments, God gives His strength to get through anything.  Being alone is the exception.  In most instances, there are brothers and sisters in God around us and He chooses to love and help someone else through us.  God gives us the wonderful privilege of being Jesus with skin on.

Look around wherever you are today.  There are people shivering in the cold of life’s difficulties.  You and I can reach out to someone and make a difference.

Read what Jesus said in Matthew 25:35-40, “For I was hungry and you fed me.  I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.  I was a stranger and you invited me into your home.  I was naked and you gave me clothing.  I was sick and you cared for me.  I was in prison and you visited me….. I assure you, when you did this to one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.”  

When we must stand alone, take comfort in the fact that God Himself will comfort and strengthen you.   If we choose to stand alone, not sharing our hurts and difficulties with anyone, may we quickly discover, that “two are better than one.”

“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.  Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”  Ecclesiastes 4:12